Reversal of Fate
by melinda08
Summary: Series of short stories based on episodes. Some Diane based, Some Rebecca, Some Coach, Some Woody. May be AU
1. Show Down

Diane loved Sam Malone. She didn't know when it happened or how but she knew she wanted him. And she hated herself for it. He was the most egotistical, most vain, most conceited man she had ever met. And yet she had to have him. And yet he couldn't bring himself to ask her to stay. She swore she had heard him ask her to stay after she had informed him that his brother Derek had asked her out but he denied it repeatedly. She'd given him every opportunity to make his feelings known so she had no choice but to accept, even though she casually whispered that she'd rather stay with him. Two could play at that game.

When she came back ready to accept Derek's invitation to go to Europe with her she had no idea of how Sam might react. She knew felt threatened by him, and he might even be jealous of their relationship. But would he stand up and fight for her?

So she tried getting a reaction. She tried everything she knew how and still he wouldn't budge. Words turned to friction as two people, used to getting their way, got nowhere with the other. One could feel the temperature rise in the room as the egos expounded and the words got more heated. Finally no one could take it anymore. Sam and Diane finally made love on the pull out couch in his office, and for the moment the tension subsided. For the moment.


	2. The Improbable Dream

"I'm sorry Sam you had something you wanted to say to me?" Rebecca asked.

This was it. This was his moment to confess how he really felt. Being open with his feelings was something Sam Malone was never really good at, not even with Diane. That might have been his downfall. He could say the three little words I love you easily to women who meant nothing to him, but when it came time to professing his love the women who he really felt something for he froze up. But he knew time was of the essence here. Robin could come in here at any moment sweeping Rebecca off her feet and she would be lost, probably forever. He was up to bat in the ninth inning, with all bases loaded and two outs and two strikes. One more and the game was over, forever. The question was would he choke or would he step up to the plate?

"Rebecca… there is something I've been meaning to say to you. And I don't know where to begin."

"Come on Sam I don't have all day.." she began to light up a cigarette.

"Put that out," he took it away from her. "You don't know how unattractive that looks."

"You're right. What if Robin came here and saw me like that?" she gasped and quickly straightened up her desk.

"Forget Robin. This isn't about him, it's about us. It's about you and me. About how we both feel. About how I feel."

Rebecca looked at him. "What are you trying to say Sam?"

"Rebecca I know I haven't made this easy on you but you aren't the easiest person to work with. Forget it this isn't coming out how I want it to." Sam turned around.

"No Sam… Please tell me what you want to say."

"Rebecca I care for you. I do. You're different than any other woman I've ever met and you drive me wild. When I look at you I think about kissing you, sure I do, but I want to protect you, I want to be there for you when all the cards are down. And in the end you're the one I want to come home to at the end of the day. We're a lot alike and I think we've got something worth my taking a chance and making a fool out of myself."

"What are you saying Sam? Are you saying you love me?" Rebecca raised her eyebrow.

He hated when she put him on the spot. If he said yes and she rejected him he could never show his face around here again. But if he said no would it be worth losing love all over again?

"Yes Rebecca. That's what I'm saying."

Just then Robin walked in and Rebecca looked at both of the men, wondering what she was going to do.


	3. Coach's daughter

I know I'm not the prettiest woman in the world. All my life I've felt this way. My daddy has tried to tell me otherwise. He's the greatest man I've ever known. He's so positive. I've always wished I could be more like him in so many ways. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he is so full of wisdom in his own way. So when I was finally proposed to I was hoping that my daddy would approve. Somehow I knew that he wouldn't. My fiancée isn't exactly the easiest person to get along with but I suppose he'll do.


	4. Wedding bell blues

I did it. I'm Mrs. Robin Colcord. This is supposed to be the happiest day of my life. So why do I feel like this? Why aren't I ready to celebrate what should be the biggest thing to happen to a girl? Was Sam right? Do I not love him? Maybe it's just wedding day jitters. It happens to the best of them. I've always dreamt of marrying someone who loves me, really loves me. And Robin does. Just because he forced me to compete with another woman for his affections doesn't mean anything. And the fact that I could have gone to prison doesn't mean anything. I would go to the ends of the earth for the man I love. So why am I still thinking about Sam?


	5. How to win friends

I know I'm not the most popular guy in the bar as Frasier not so delicately reminded me but I do have feelings too. Heck he wasn't so popular when he started hanging around at first. I try my best and I mean well. Even my ma will tell you that. Sometimes if it weren't for Normy I'm not so sure I would bother. I have my route and I love my routine and I like to have a place to call my own. I try not to show it but that Carla sure has a way of making a guy feel pretty small sometimes. I like to think it's her way of showing affection. Surely she couldn't mean half of what she says could she? I can take a joke as well as the next guy but sometimes there's a point when a guy has to put down. I like to think of these guys as my friends but when they didn't come to the hospital well I have to admit that one hurt. I have to wonder , will they even miss me when I'm gone?


	6. One for the road

You can never be unfaithful to your one true love. I wonder what Norm meant by that? Did he mean Diane? I was tempted but in the end I was true to her, although I don't think she appreciated it. We were going through a rough patch and the other woman looked pretty good. But my heart belonged to Diane and it did for a long time. I don't think that's what he meant however. Did he mean the Sox? I tried going back but it wasn't the same. I think I lost that spark a long time ago. You know I think I know what he meant. He was talking about the bar. I always come back to the bar. I fought long and hard to get it back and it was one of the happiest days in my life when I got it back for eighty five cents. No matter how close I was to desperation I always had faith I would get it back. When Rebecca burned it down I thought it was over for sure. All of my hopes and dreams went down in flames along with Cheers. But I rebuilt it, better than ever. In the end it all comes back to Cheers.


	7. Give me a ring sometime

**A/N: this is the first episode of the series where Sam and Diane meet and the rest is (TV) history...**

Sam knew the minute he saw her that he was going to either love her for the rest of his life or she was going to drive him right out of his mind. Diane Chambers was no ordinary woman. She was high class, intelligent, and impossibly snobby. It didn't take him long to figure out she was the very essence of the saying "can't live with, can't live without." He'd never been with this type of woman before. He liked simple women, easy to get along with, easy to please, and well, truth be told, just plain easy. Diane was none of these things. For her he had to work at it, and he wasn't very good at these things. That's why his marriage failed. But he would make this work even if it killed him. Or he killed her, one or the other.


	8. Hot rocks

**A/n: Rebecca has lost her diamond earrings and she agrees to go out with Sam if he finds them. He does, but he finds she is not so agreeable after all. This is one of my favorite episodes of the series, not to mention Kirstie looks awesome here. **

Maybe. She thinks I'm a maybe. After all of this time this is the best I can do- a maybe. The great Sam Malone is a maybe? I've had over four hundred woman and the one woman I want puts me in a maybe category. Well no more of this I tell you. No more hardball. No more of her screwing with my mind. I'm moving on to bigger and better things. There are other babes out there, ones who are willing and ready to please. I've wasted some of the best years of my life trying to land the one woman who doesn't mind turning me down on a regular basis. Well that's it. I'm moving on. No more second best for Mayday Malone. It's over. Done. Final. Maybe.


End file.
